WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump Trump will nominate former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel, Trump announced on Tuesday.

Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his proposed appointment comes as Trump has pledged to align US foreign policy more closely with Israel’s interests as the country wages wars against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“Mike has been a great public servant, governor and faith leader for many years,” Trump said in a statement. “He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and in the same way the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring peace to the Middle East!”

Huckabee has led paid tour group visits to Israel for years, regularly advertising the trips to conservative-leaning news media.

David Friedman, who served as Trump’s ambassador to Israel during his first term, said he was “thrilled” by Trump’s choice of Huckabee.